Image forming apparatus and output setting method of consumed status of consumable items of the image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus which uses a consumable item is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a consumed status detecting unit which detects a value of the consumed status of the consumable item, a determining unit which determines whether to output an exchange message of the consumable item by comparing the value of the consumed status of the consumable item detected by the consumed status detecting unit with a predetermined value, an exchange message output setting unit which sets presence or non-presence of an output of the exchange message, and a consumed status output setting unit which sets presence or non-presence of an output of the consumed status of the consumable item detected by the consumed status detecting unit.

1. An image forming apparatus which uses a consumable item, comprising:
 a consumed status detecting unit which detects a value of the consumed status of the consumable item; 
 a determining unit which determines whether to output an exchange message of the consumable item by comparing the value of the consumed status of the consumable item detected by the consumed status detecting unit with a predetermined value; 
 an exchange message output setting unit which sets presence or non-presence of the output of the exchange message; and 
 a consumed status output setting unit which sets presence or non-presence of an output of the consumed status of the consumable item detected by the consumed status detecting unit. 
 
   
   
     2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an output setting table storing unit which stores an output setting table in which combinations of the presence or the non-presence of the consumed status of plural of the consumable items with the presence or the non-presence of the exchange messages of the consumable items are stored; and 
 a consumable-item output referring unit which selects one of the combinations for each of the consumable items by referring to the output setting table. 
 
   
   
     3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plural consumable-item output setting table storing unit which stores plural consumable-item output setting tables in which the combinations of plural consumable items are described; and 
 a plural consumable-item output selecting unit which selects one of the plural consumable-item output setting tables stored in the plural consumable-item output setting table storing unit. 
 
   
   
     4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 plural output interfaces each of which interfaces corresponds to an output destination apparatus; and 
 an output selecting unit via which unit the output destination apparatus sets the presence or the non-presence of the output of the exchange message of the consumable item and the presence or the non-presence of the output of the consumed status of the consumable item. 
 
   
   
     5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein:
 when plural computers are connected to the image forming apparatus via a network as the plural output destination apparatuses, 
 each of the plural computers sets the presence or the non-presence of the output of the exchange message of the corresponding consumable item and the presence or the non-presence of the output of the consumed status of the corresponding consumable item via the output selecting unit. 
 
   
   
     6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the exchange message of the consumable item has plural messages. 
 
   
   
     7. An output setting method of consumed status of a consumable item of an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:
 detecting a value of the consumed status of the consumable item; 
 determining whether to output an exchange message of the consumable item by comparing the detected value of the consumed status of the consumable item with a predetermined value; 
 setting presence or non-presence of the output of the exchange message; and 
 setting presence or non-presence of an output of the detected consumed status of the consumable item. 
 
   
   
     8. The output setting method of the consumed status of the consumable items as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
 storing an output setting table in which combinations of the presence or the non-presence of the consumed status of plural of the consumable items with the presence or the non-presence of the exchange messages of the consumable items are stored; and 
 selecting one of the combinations for each of the consumable items by referring to the output setting table. 
 
   
   
     9. The output setting method of the consumed status of the consumable items as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
 storing plural consumable-item output setting tables in which the combinations of plural consumable items are described; and 
 selecting one of the plural consumable-item output setting tables which are stored. 
 
   
   
     10. The output setting method of the consumed status of the consumable items as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the presence or the non-presence of the output of the exchange message and the presence or the non-presence of the output of the consumed status of the consumable item are determined based on a specification of the image forming apparatus which specification is determined upon delivering the apparatus. 
 
   
   
     11. The output setting method of the consumed status of the consumable items as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the presence or the non-presence of the output of the exchange message and the presence or the non-presence of the output of the consumed status of the consumable item are determined based on conditions when the image forming apparatus is delivered to a user. 
 
   
   
     12. The output setting method of the consumed status of the consumable items as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the exchange message of the consumable item has plural messages.